Ab Imo Pictore
by caesara
Summary: Bella, Jasper,and Emmett are siblings with a less than perfect home life. Their alcoholic father has been gone for two years, and their mother's silence is always a painful reminder of the past. Then the Cullens come to town...
1. good start

The title: Ab Imo Pictore 

is Latin for 

'from the bottom of the heart' 

ie-with dep and sincere emotion

**So, I finally got smart about this whole fanfiction thing. I've actually written most of the fic before I posted, so I will be finishing this one.(Unless I die or the rapture happens or something) but let's just hope neither happen right now cause I want to give you all the full story! **

**Review please!** **I Hope you enjoy!**

"Bella, I don't care if I have heavier books. Please, carry the back pack today. You're exhausted." Jasper ordered. As they walked he shrugged off their back pack and unloaded his books on Emmett before handing the backpack to Bella with a meaningful look.

She sighed her thanks.

Emmett was silently yelling at their father for buying the one house that was in the middle of the freaking woods. It's not even like it was the big, white mansion that stood on the other side of the forest from their shack of a house. Now _that _would be a good reason to live in the middle of the woods.

"I don't get why we can't walk to a bus stop before school." Emmett grumbled, handing Jasper his books back while kicking a couple of rocks at his feet. The dirt road that led a couple of miles to their house was…pitiful, to say the least.

"It's because, we'd have to get up earlier to get on a bus stop that's 20 blocks from the school. It wouldn't be worth it. We'd have to walk pretty much the whole way anyway, so we might as well get as much sleep as we can." Jasper reasoned.

"Why can't we be this late every day?" Emmett asked.

"Why do you keep asking stupid questions?"

"Guys, "Bella said, with a frown on her face. "Please,"

"Sorry," they both answered, apologetic. Bella didn't need them arguing after her night.

Bella felt sorry for snapping at them. It wasn't their fault she had a migraine. She had barely gotten any sleep last night because she had worked. Night shifts didn't happen to her often, but when they did, Bella didn't protest. She needed the job. Besides, the restaurant wasn't a bad one. It was one of the best in Forks. Unfortunately, she had slept in because of it. School was already started when they walked out of their house.

"I thought Thursday would never come." Emmett said "What are we doing with our three day weekend?"

"Working." Jasper said.

"Not Friday. I'm mean the rest of the weekend."

"I dunno." Bella said and bit her lip in thought. And then she asked "Did you do your homework last night?"

"Of course" Jasper said.

"Yeah," Emmett proclaimed proudly, pulling out a paper from his book and waving it in the air.

"Good." She said, internally rejoicing. If anyone was the worrier of the family, it was her.

The Swan siblings knew what a college education could do to change their lives. All of their lives they had been…not so well off. When their father lived with them he spent all of their money on alcohol and bets. When he left, their mother fell apart and stopped working. Now, all three of them balanced school and jobs so they had enough money for each of them to get into college-Jasper would be the first one in the family. He was a senior, one year above his brother and sister.

They had been walking for thirty minutes before Bella stopped, with a pained look on her face.

"Bella?"

Emmett grabbed her around the waist and held her. She was shaking.

"Migraine?" Jasper asked as he felt her forehead.

She nodded the best she could.

"You're not going to school." Emmett decided, as he relieved her of her backpack and set it in the grass nearby.

"B-but Em-"

"She has a pre-cal test. She won't want to miss it." Jasper said for her.

"Right." Emmett mumbled.

She tried to talk again and Jasper shushed her. He saw the look on Bella's face and knew what it meant.

"Bella, if you need to puke, just do it. It's better than trying not to."

She shook her head weakly, crying, now, but she took her jacket off, just in case. Both of her brothers knew how much she hated puking, but a minute later she did, all over the grass in front of her and partly on her shirt. By the time the dry heaves started she was on her knees. Emmett held her hair and Jasper rubbed her back, whispering comforting words. It took 10 minutes for her to stop crying, and when she did, she realized that she had it on her shirt. It wasn't a special shirt or anything, just some t-shirt she had bought from Salvation Army. It was gray and plain, but a good shirt nonetheless.

Bella groaned. "What am I going to do now?" She asked as she stood up and looked at her shirt.

"Wear your uniform?" Jasper suggested. They always kept them in their lockers at school because they always worked after class.

Bella sighed. That's what she'd have to do.

_Great. More teasing._

"Wait! I have two shirts on." Emmett said, taking off the top one. He had a gray wife beater on underneath which he took off and tossed to her.

Jasper helped her get out of her shirt without rubbing anything wet on her. She threw on the shirt that was about 4 sizes too big.

They all laughed, and she put her jacket on over top to make it school appropriate. She tossed the ruined shirt on the ground while Emmett picked up her backpack. They'd get it on their way back home. Not for the first time she wished that they could have nicer clothes to wear.

She was now wearing a pair of blue basketball shorts that had been Emmett's when he was much littler and a gray tank that was way too big on her and on top of that, a gray jacket that was her only one but fit her nicely. She was wearing a pair of black Tommy Hilfiger high top shoes that she got at Goodwill for five bucks a couple of years ago**. (A/N I got a pair from goodwill for 5 and I love them!)**

Emmett and Jasper were both wearing jeans, though both pairs were old and worn. Emmett's were darker and Jasper's were lighter, though Emmett's were starting to get holes in the knees. Bella doubted that would be a problem since it was in style to have holey clothes, though she couldn't understand it for the life of her. Jasper wore a plain blue shirt and Emmett's was white with black on the sides and the sleeves. Both of the boys had on tennis shoes. They needed new ones. Bella added that on her mental list.

_Bella's Mental List_

_Re-tape window_

_Buy tampons_

_Backpacks? (Probably about 50 cents at the Salvation Army.)_

_Clean the kitchen_

_Don't puke again_

_Buy boys new shoes_

They were walking again and though Bella's migraine wasn't completely gone it was considerably better. She needed to buy more medicine, but it was so expensive. She'd just have to get some Advil from the nurse and wish for the best.

By the time the trio got to school it was 9:45 and they were an hour and half late. Oh well, nothing they could do about it now.

They didn't have any classes together, but they saw each other in the hall and talked sometimes. They didn't really have many friends though. They were the 'freaky poor kids' with the 'freaky depressed mom.' All of them suffered. It probably hurt Emmett the most. He could be the most loveable person if people gave him a try, but they didn't. And though Emmett was probably hurt the most, Bella got the worst of it, partly because people weren't as scared of her and partly because girls are just so much nastier than guys. Jasper was so great at hiding his emotions from her, sometimes Bella couldn't see what he felt, but she knew that he was upset about it too.

* * *

Bella walked into Physics II with her head down, blushing madly. She handed Mr. Day a slip from the office and practically ran to her seat in the back. Everyone was laughing. Mr. Day ignored them and kept talking as usual.

Bella only paused briefly when she saw one of the most gorgeous girls she had ever seen sitting in a seat next to her. Her hair was long, blonde, and full. She was wearing a gorgeous dress that Bella was sure wouldn't look good on her. It was a beautiful, expensive looking sun dress that was a swirl of floral blue and white. The craziest thing was that she didn't scowl at Bella when she crept into her seat rather carefully. This girl may be new, but she dressed exactly like (well not exactly because her clothes were _much_ prettier) Lauren and the other girls that teased her mercilessly.

Bella timidly took out her book and folder and just stared at them, not knowing what to do. Number one-no one ever sat next to her. Number two-no on this popular looking ever got near her without making her wish she could disappear.

"Hi, I'm Rosalie Cullen, but you can call me Rose." She said, giving Bella a smile.

Bella just stared at her as if she couldn't believe her eyes. This girl was trying to talk to her?

Before Bella could pull herself together and say a simple hello back, Lauren and her right hand bitch Macy turned around. Of course they had gotten the seats right in front of Bella who wanted puke again at the sight of their faces that were extremely overdone with make-up.

"Look what freak decided to finally show up. For a second there I got my hopes up and thought you had run off like your loser dad." Lauren sneered and threw Bella's pencil off of her desk. Macy laughed.

"Yeah, well I thought she'd kill herself like her _poor mommy dearest_…or is that bitch still alive?" Macy giggled her hideous laugh with Lauren.

Bella didn't respond in any way besides clutch her books harder. She forced the tears back and swallowed hard, staring at her folder.

"How about both of you shut your fucking faces. Obviously you feel the need to torture others because you're so damn insecure about your damn selves. And let me tell you there's a lot to be insecure about, starting with the fact that your faces looks like a god damn asses with all that shit you have on them and ending with the fact that you're mentally fucking retarded." Rosalie said and _flipped them off._

Everyone around them heard and immediately busted out laughing, cheering and clapping. If Mr. Day noticed, he didn't say anything about it. He just kept on lecturing. Someone could get raped in his room and he wouldn't know.

Lauren and Macy looked absolutely horrified. No one ever talked to them that way. Lauren looked like she was about to spontaneously combust or something and Macy looked like she crapped in her pants. Rosalie just shook her head and smirked as they waved their hands frantically.

"Can we use the restroom?" Macy asked. They were already walking out of the door.

"I don't know, can you?" Mr. Day said as he always does when someone asked like that.

"Huh?" Lauren asked with a confused look on her face.

"Just go." He said, shaking his head. They were a disappointment to the human race.

People turned to Rosalie and started saying things like "Way to go!" and "Holy crap that was amazing!"

She simply smiled, but then she turned back to a still stunned Bella who had retrieved her pencil form the floor.

"Hey," Rose said.

Bella's eyes went wide and she turned to her, bracing herself for the worst. She had just told off the two most popular girls in school. Whether or not it was in her defense, Bella wasn't sure, but she wouldn't take any chances about it.

"I'm sorry that you did that because of me they'll be really mean to you now and everyone always does what they do!" She blurted and then clamped her hand over her mouth.

Rose smiled. "Well, I was just going to ask you your name. As for those girls, I don't care what they think. They're fucking retarded anyway. They had no right to say those things to you."

The other girl relaxed visibly "My name's Bella." She attempted a smile. _So this Rosalie girl doesn't want to kill me. Good start._

"Does this guy ever shut up?" She asked, nodding towards Day.

Bella snickered silently, covering her mouth. She shook her head no.

"Do you think we have any more classes together?"

Bella looked surprised. This girl didn't like Lauren or Macy _and_ wanted to associate with her? It was almost too perfect.

"I have lunch 4th period." Bella offered.

Rose looked back through her schedule that was sitting on her desk.

"So do I!" She said and then smiled larger. "And so does my brother Edward and my sister Alice. I guess they put us all in the same lunch so we'd have a class together, since we're new. We can all sit together!"

Bella was blushing, but she didn't really know why.

"Umm, Rosalie, do you think that's a good idea?"

Rose frowned, "Yes, why wouldn't it be?"

Bella shook her head. "Well I know you don't care if Spite and Malice like you, but your siblings might, don't you think?"

Rose laughed, which made her more confused. "You'll just have to meet my family. I swear to you they won't care."

Bella nodded, smiling slightly. "Uh-my brothers are also in that lunch. I'll have to have them meet your family…if you want."

"Yeah that's great." Rose said. "I'll see you then." The bell rang and everyone practically ran out of the class. No doubt everyone would know by the beginning of next period that the supermodel-y gorgeous new girl had stood up for one of the 'freaky poor kids' by telling off the two most popular girls in school.

Bella's head was still hurting and she didn't want it to get any worse, so after she left the room she headed to the nurses. The nurse wasn't exactly supposed to give students medicine like Bella was asking for it, without any permission and such, but they had an understanding. Bella got migraines, she didn't have the money for medicine, the nurse gave her Advil or Tylenol when she got them-even though both of them knew that if it was a full blown migraine, a few Advil would not help anything but the nurse's conscience .

"Only three more periods till lunch." Bella mumbled to herself as she popped a Tylenol in her mouth and dry swallowed it. She sighed "We'll see what happens…"

**I hope you enjoyed! Remember, the quicker you review, the quicker I post the new chapter! :0)  
**

**I think it gets better after this, so hang in there for the good stuff!**


	2. lunch, of course!

**Thank you so much for the reviews! You all freaking rock! **

**So here's the next chapter...It may be a little boring, but everyone knows there has to be a lunch room scene, so here's mine! I promise it gets better! The next chapter is...more interesting...**

**Here you go!  
**

"This new girl Rosalie-" Bella began.

"-Is hot and awesome!" Emmett interrupted, simply glowing.

They stood at Jasper's locker like they always did before lunch. She wanted to ask them about lunch, but every time she started talking, someone would intervene-usually about how hot Rose and Alice were.

"I had English with Edward and Alice. Alice is beautiful." Jasper said.

"Well you're missing out, man! Rose is awesome!" Emmett laughed.

"Guys! Can we focus here?" Bella asked, exasperated.

"You already know about Physics, right?" She was fingering the strap of her back pack nervously. Would they want to? She wouldn't sit with the Cullens without them.

They nodded, smiling and shaking their heads in disbelief. She could clearly see that they were both elated at the possibility of their sister having a friend. It had been a lone time. No one had probably bothered to tell them about Rosalie, but they could have heard it somewhere.

"Well, Rosalie was really nice and she wants us to sit with her family at lunch."

"That's so cool!" Emmett blurted.

"Wow." was all Jasper said.

"I haven't seen the other two, how bad is it?" Bella asked, biting her lip nervously.

"Oh they're just as good looking as Rosalie and have the clothes to match." Jasper said. "I saw her walking in the hallway and showed her to her English because she asked. Then I go to my English and Alice and Edward were in there."

"So you guys want to sit with them?"

"Yes!" They said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"_You_ want to, right?" Jasper asked worried. No other students had ever offered them a spot at lunch or stood up for them. He could understand why Bella would be hesitant. And he knew that the girls were ridiculously mean to her. She had a right to be weary.

She nodded.

"What did Spite and Malice say?" Emmett asked carefully.

Bella shook her head. "Doesn't matter." She mumbled and started walking.

Jasper and Emmett shared a knowing look behind her back. Emmett was getting to the point of angry. What did these girls have against his Bella? Jasper gave him a look that said 'calm down and don't ruin this for her.' He nodded slightly before they went to catch up to their sister.

Rosalie waved them over after they got their trays for lunch. The entire cafeteria seemed to watch them walk to the new kids' table. The Cullens were beautiful and rich what were they doing with the Swans? The Swan siblings stopped though when they saw Lauren and Mallorie walk up to the table. (Macy must have been too traumatized.)

"Are you so super sure that you want to sit with losers? They're really lame and really poor too. They don't even have like real parents." Lauren whined and tossed her hair over her shoulder to glare at Bella smugly.

_She looks really smug for someone who's begging people to sit with her. _Emmett thought, clutching his tray harshly. He let it loose a little when he heard a crack. Emmett didn't know if they had to pay for broken cafeteria trays, but he was not about to find out.

"Maybe you didn't hear my sister the first time, Lauren," The girl Bella could only assume was Alice said. "You are the only thing around here that's lame and pretty retarded too if you think we'd ever hang out with someone as shallow as you and your goons. Leave us and our friends alone."

Lauren huffed and stalked out of the lunch room with about 5 other girls. The boys left at her table just kept staring at Alice and Rosalie.

"I like her." Jasper whispered to Bella, talking about Alice. His sister laughed quietly at how hypnotized Jasper was.

_Oh, Lord. I'm going to hear about this until they end up going out together._ Bella thought happily.

"I'm sick of them already." The boy mumbled.

"Same here, Edward." Rose said. "Bella!"

"Come on." Jasper murmured in her ear.

Bella nodded and somehow got her brain to function enough to walk. Alice had called them _friends _and hadn't even met them! Maybe Rosalie was right...

All three of them sat down. Bella was in the middle of them, of course. She was blushing and looking at the three striking people in front of her. Alice and Rose were gorgeous, but it was Edward who was dazzling beautiful. She glanced at him and caught his eye. He smiled at her and she was sure her heart sped up too quickly for it to be healthy. Yet, she wanted it to happen again.

"Okay, Bella, meet my siblings Edward and Alice."

"Hey," she said. "And um these are my brothers Jasper and Emmett."

The Cullens all said hi. Bella couldn't help but see the way Rose and Alice looked at her brothers. She didn't mind, though and she found herself smiling at the thought of her brothers dating. It would certainly be…new.

"You're so cute Bella!" Alice chirped. "You're all so cute!" She glanced meaningfully at Jasper.

"Thanks," Emmett said wiggling his eyebrows.

They all laughed as Bella tried her hardest _not _to stare at Edward.

"So you all are from here?" Edward asked and sipped on his water. It seemed to mesmerize Bella. They nodded.

"Where do you live? Maybe we could hang out some time." Alice asked. "We could have a sleepover, Bella!" She bounced in her seat happily.

"We live in a crappy little house in the middle of the woods. Our dad was a violent alcoholic. He left three years ago when I was a freshmen and our mom hasn't left her room in two years." Jasper said staring at each of the other teens. "If you want to not be our friends now we understand, but please don't play with us. Don't mess with Bella." Bella closed her eyes and put her face in her hands.

_Great, my only chance at having friends for even a day…out the window!_

Emmett's smile was gone. He simply stared at the three of them with Jasper. They were hurt when their dad hit them in a drunken rage. They were hurt when their mother stopped talking to them. They were hurt when they saw their sister hurt. And they didn't want to be hurt again.

"Look," Came Edward's voice, "We don't know what the rest of the school thinks about you and frankly, we don't care. We have no reason not to like you. As for the fact that you may not be as wealthy as us, that's completely irrelevant, and people that judge like that aren't worth it anyways."

Bella brought her face out of her hands. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had been bracing herself for the worst, for the horrible letdown that seemed to rip her heart. These things had happened before, people pretending to be her friend and then it only turned out to be a dare or a trick.

Alice started then too. "We don't care what decisions your parents made either. That has nothing to do with you. I like you guys already and I hope we can be friends." She smiled at them and Bella smiled weakly back.

Emmett beamed at Jasper who gave his easy-going smile back.

"Dude this is so cool!" He exclaimed, breaking the ice unintentionally.

"So Bella, would you like to spend the night tonight?" Bella almost choked on the pizza she was eating.

She wasn't thinking so _soon_! She didn't have to work today because she had worked night shift, and they didn't have school tomorrow but still...

"Uh-" She looked panicked.

"Yes!" Japer and Emmet both yelled a bit too loudly.

"Yes, she does. She doesn't have work today." The oldest finished out a bit more calmly, though he was smiling hugely at his sister.

"We are going to have so much fun, Bella!" Alice squealed. "My parents will love you, don't worry! We can go shopping or do makeovers!"

"I can show you the car I've been working on." Rosalie suggested, a bit more calmly than her sister. The Swans were starting to realize how hyper Alice was.

"You work on cars?!" Emmett asked. "I can't believe this!"

"Where do you live?" Bella asked before her brother could make a fool of himself. Of course she was the only one being remotely rational about this whole thing. They didn't have a car.

"We live in the woods off of Sycamore Drive."

"Wait, you mean the huge white mansion?" Jasper asked. They nodded. "That is so sweet!"

"Jasper, Emmett, you can come over and hang with me." Edward suggested. "We have about every game system available." He doubted they wanted to listen to him play the piano or go through his music collection.

They both smiled. "We have to work today, but we all get weekends off, so maybe some time." Emmett explained.

"Where do you work at?" Rose asked.

"Jazz works at the grocery store, and Bella works at Pappa's, a restaurant in town. I work at the Big O Tires." He smiled at Rose. Yes, they could definitely get along.

"Maybe I'll have to drop in some time and see you." Rose told him, flirtatiously. Everyone else rolled their eyes. "Bella, do you want to ride home with us?"

"S-sure, oh wait! Jazz…umm mom?" She asked. Her brow was furrowed.

"I'll do it. Go and have fun. Everything will be fine." She looked at him skeptically.

It was very rare that Bella wasn't the one to coax their mother to eat and take her pills. It had been a while since she wasn't there to help her. Their relationship was very strange. Renee hated Bella but it was usually Bella who fed her. Bella shook her head. She wouldn't think about it right now. She had faith in Jasper and Emmett.

"Yeah I guess I will ride with you, if that's okay."

"Oh, my God Bells I'm so sorry I forgot! How's your head?" Emmett asked.

Jasper looked worried too and felt her forehead. He always did that weather a fever was the problem or not.

"I'm fine guys," She mumbled blushing at the attention and the stares from the Cullens.

"Did you get medicine?"

"Yes."

"When did it stop hurting?"

"It hasn't all the way."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jasper asked.

"Don't know."

"Is it bad?"

"No! No, no, no." Bella answered swatting Jasper's hand from her head. "It's not even hurting now. It's throbbing that's it. I'm fine. End of discussion." Jasper gave her a look, a look that meant –we've got to get you medicine.

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Your head hurts?" Edward asked, suddenly staring at her intently.

"She gets migraines,"

Bella glared at Emmett.

"Our dad's a doctor. He can take a look at you."

"Yes, please, let him. He wouldn't be bothered by it at all!" Alice chimed with concern in her eyes.

"It's fine! They haven't been bad lately. I don't need a doctor; I don't need any more medicine. It's ok really. Thanks for caring, though." Her brothers knew how much it meant to her that other people cared, especially about the migraines. When their dad found out about them…

"Okay, Bella I believe you." Jasper offered, and he looked at the clock. "It's about to ring. So Bella's spending the night with you? Are you sure your parents are okay with it? I mean we don't have school tomorrow right? Three day weekend."

Edward nodded. "You're positive it's okay?" He asked again.

Edward chuckled thinking of his parents (Bella's heart skipped a beat) "Definitely."

"Should I come to one of your lockers?" Bella asked Rose and Alice.

"Sure!" Alice said "We already said we'd meet at Eddy's locker." She took out her schedule. "It's number 204" She declared after reading next to her writing that said 'Eddy's locker #' "I have to go find my next class." She said, "But I'll see you after school, Bella! It was nice meeting you and Emmett and Jasper. I can't wait for after school!"

She got up to leave. "I'll show you to your class!" Jasper volunteered eagerly. He took their trays and dumped them both.

Alice laughed. "Come here you," She dragged Jasper out of the lunchroom and down the hallway.

"Well those two sure hit it off," Emmett commented, looking at Rosalie. "I can show you to your class too, if you'd like." Bella rolled her eyes. These girls were making Jasper and Emmett act completely out of character-not that she didn't like it.

She smiled. "Bye Bella, I'll see you after school kay?"

Bella nodded and grinned as Rose and Emmett went off to 'find a class.' They held hands as they went.

"Well, it's just you and me." Edward said, scooting to be across from her.

"Do you need help finding _your_ class?" Bella asked. She stared into his sweet eyes.

Edward chuckled a no. "But I would very much like it if you walked with me to it?"

Bella blushed, very aware of the fluttering feeling in her stomach. "Sure, why not?" She said, giggling. She was surprised by her boldness.

They both exited the cafeteria with the rest of the student body glaring their way, and it was the first time that Bella didn't care.

**So guys, I've got some bad news...band camp has started, yes the ten hour day in the hot sun, playing and marching forevers. So I may not be able to update for a while since I'm so wiped out and all and I'm barely home, but I will try and just for you!**

** Thank you for reading! Reviews please!**


	3. break down

**Everyone smile! I have another chapter! :)**

**This chapter's kinda sad...but not too sad I don't think. Enjoy it anyways and review please!  
**

Bella rode home with Alice and Rose in the back of a completely ridiculously expensive looking car. She was almost scared to move. Her mismatched tomboyish attire wasn't worth sitting in a seat like that, in her eyes. She was blushing the whole way, sitting timidly in her seat.

"So, Rose, Alice do you have any homework on your first day?" She was at least putting an effort into a casual conversation, no matter how inferior she felt at the time.

Alice giggled and turned around from the passenger's seat.

"Nope! They all said we could have time to 'adjust' but we didn't tell them that we'd already gone through these chapters at our last school!" She laughed and Bella could help but smile and relax slightly.

"Do you?" Rose asked.

"Not much, only some Physics, but _you_ wouldn't know would you?" She smiled bigger.

Rose laughed.

"No, I guess I wouldn't. Hey you can't blame me. I'm not sure why teachers think new students are stupid or something, but I'm not complaining!"

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight, Bella? It'll be so much fun! We can roll out the sleeping bags and everything!"

Bella suddenly gasped, realizing something. "I don't have any clothes or a toothbrush or anything!"

"Oh, is that all? That's fine. You can wear some of our pajamas, and Esme keeps like 500 spare everything in the bathroom, including toothbrushes."

Bella sighed. "Well, only if you're sure it's all right."

"I'm sure." Rose answered quickly.

"Do you guys have everything unpacked?" Bella asked. They had moved from somewhere but she wasn't sure where, and unless the topic came up in a conversation she wasn't going to ask. Some people were more private with things like that, unlike Jasper who had already recited to the new family their entire horribly embarrassing past. She almost groaned at the thought of it, though she couldn't really be mad at him. He was just protecting her, like he always had. She had never gotten hit by their dad, only yelled at. He was smart enough to know even in a drunken fit that he had two sons that could and would beat him up if they knew about it. Bella sighed. And yet they did nothing to stop it from happening to themselves.

"Yeah, we've actually been in town for about a week, but we were working on getting settled down before school and everything." Alice explained.

Bella laughed. "So you decided to come to school on the Thursday before a three day weekend, huh?"

"Well, yeah, that way if we didn't like it we could have a few more days of freedom, but it didn't matter because we met you and your brothers! I would happily go back to school tomorrow, knowing we have friends!"

"Thanks," Bella mumbled. She could feel her cheeks burning.

It was so weird how the trek from her house to school seemed oh-so-less threatening now that she was in a car. It was so much shorter. She glanced at the 'road' to her house as they passed it at a high speed and suddenly she became nervous about the Cullens house again. Compared to most houses it was huge…compared to hers-Bella shook her head-their house with its taped up windows, broken gutters, old creaky everything, was equivalent to a dog's playhouse.

If the Cullens were as nice as they seemed, they wouldn't mind seeing her house. Maybe that would help, if they really and fully accepted the gravity of the situation.

"Rose can we turn around and stop at my place for like two seconds?"

"Sure!" For someone who was going so fast, she sure did turn into that parking lot quick and make a non-life-threatening U-turn.

"Uh-it was that dirt looking road about a minute back on the left."

"Right-o."

"Ooohh, Bella can I see your room?" Alice begged. Rose shot her a look.

"Well, it's not much, but I did kind of decorate in my own way a while back."

They turned into the gravel road. Rose drove slower now because she didn't want her car scratched by some random tree or branch.

"Oh, my God what is that?!" Alice shrieked at the sight of a gray looking lump on the side of the road. "Is that an animal?"

Bella burst out laughing, her shoulders doing some kind of happy dance as she tried to contain herself.

"What's so funny, is it your pet or something?" Rosalie asked, trying to get a better look.

"Uh, no it's actually my shirt from this morning." Bella said through her laughter.

Alice didn't look convinced. "What's it doing in the forest then? Why don't you pick it up?"

Bella sighed. "Emmett told you I had migraines. Well sometimes if they get too bad I feel nauseous, and I puked this morning on the way to school because it was so bad."

Rose and Alice gasped.

"You said they haven't been bad lately!" Rose said, almost feeling offended that she had lied.

"Well, they haven't" Bella mumbled. "Only this one, so it's fine."

"Don't they have some sort of medicine for that?" Alice asked. "I could have sworn I saw something on TV for migraines…"

"Well, if there is I wouldn't know. We don't have a TV." Bella said, knowing it would surprise them and hoping that it would get them off of the topic of her migraines. Yes, they knew she was poor, but how many people had these girls met that couldn't afford medicine? Probably none.

Rosalie almost stopped the car in surprise.

_It worked!_ Bella thought happily.

"Please, tell me you're joking!" Alice cried. She was out of her seat belt and on her knees, facing Bella.

Bella giggled, was it that serious? "Uh well that would be a lie…"

"Holy crap, Bella what? What? How does that happen? What do you do? 90210? CSI? House? Cheesy Westerns? Project Runway? America's Next top Model? Iron Chef? 106th and Park? Food Network Star? Heroes?" She looked desperate.

"I don't watch TV that much but did you just name a cooking show?" Bella asked.

Alice groaned and turned back around. They were at Bella's house now.

"That's it." Alice decided. "We'll just have to watch TV all day and all night, then!"

Bella laughed and got out of the car.

"Well, here's where the Freaky Swan Kids live." Bella said and started walking to the door. There was no way she was about to turn around and see their faces. The house was wreck on the outside and she knew it. It looked worse than it actually was. It looked like it could collapse any minute, but it had looked like that for a very long time and survived some very bad storms with only the inevitable leak from somewhere-they always had buckets ready.

"I just want to run in and see what we have to eat. There weren't any leftovers from last night and I don't want them only eating cereal. I'll just leave a note and tell them what to cook or something." Bella said as she finally turned around to face Rosalie and Alice. Alice was surprised. She probably though Jasper was exaggerating. Rosalie just had this look of indifference on her face. Bella couldn't tell what she was thinking.

They walked in behind her and Bella practically jumped on top of Rosalie in her surprise. All three of the girls yelped, all out of surprise, only Bella's ran a whole lot deeper. She stared at the other person that was in the room as if she were an alien.

No one said anything. Rose and Alice didn't really know what was going on. Bella and the woman just stared at each other like deer in the headlights, both of them. They were frozen.

The woman was small and frail looking, her skin was very pale. Her face was all bones and she looked very sick. Her hair was brown like Bella's but it was longer, more scraggly looking. She was wearing a blue robe that Bella _instantly_ recognized as her father's. _That's _what almost made her sick. She was really wearing Charlie's robe, like she _missed_ him or something? How screwed up was that?

Bella didn't know how long they stood there like that. She was in such shock she almost didn't catch it when the woman dropped the apple she had been holding and stumbled quickly down a short hallway and into the door. "You're a liar!" She screeched. And slammed it shut.

Bella blinked rapidly and looked around the room before she ran down the hallway, halfway there before she realized she was too late.

"Mom! Mom! Mom, please I'm _sorry_! Open the door, _please_ mom!" She was begging and she knew it. She beat at the door with her fists and cried out, begging her mother to just come back out, she was sorry. She'd never walk in on her again. _Please_. Bella almost didn't feel the sob that ripped through her chest as she sank to her knees and beat the floor before her. She screamed and cried.

"Mom! Please, I'm not a _liar! I swear!"_ She sobbed, crying like she never remembered crying before. She could barely breathe at the rate they were coming out. She felt sick again, she was crying so hard. "_I swear it mom, please! I'm sorry_!" Bella was still screaming, begging, _pleading_, at her mother's door when she felt hands on her shoulders and back, rubbing them, saying something, but she couldn't hear. She could only hear her sobs and the way her fists pounded the floor mercilessly to the rhythm of her pounding, aching heart.

"Mom, please!" She begged. "_I miss you so much_!" She screamed. "_Why don't you miss me_?!"

She cried and punched the door.

Suddenly the pounding of her fists stopped. There was a dull throb in them and she couldn't understand why. She could only understand that their mother had left them _again._

At that agonizing, terrible thought, Bella turned and sobbed into a person with blond hair.

_Rosalie._ She remembered. _Rosalie was here and Alice._

She had wondered why her fists stopped hitting, but now she knew. A small pair of hands had them clutched in her own. She looked at the face to whom they belonged- a small pretty face with spiked black hair, small tears, making a steady pattern down her sorrowful face. Bella turned Rose and saw that her beautiful face was wet too. She had made them cry. What kind of a friend was she?

Now she cried for them. She felt so bad, ruining them for her own selfish reasons. When would she ever learn? People got hurt because of _her. _Jasper and Emmett got hurt. They were hurt so much when night came and the bottles shattered. She had hurt her mom when she tried to explain what was happening under her very nose. But she was a liar, a bitch and a liar who was just trying to pry her mother and father apart so she could have more attention.

_Bella was in the kitchen , cooking after her homework. She was thinking. And she knew that she had to tell someone. Someone would believe her. She couldn't see Jasper and Emmett get hurt again. It her so much to see them limp back into their room and do their homework like any other regular kid. She couldn't take any more of the blood on the floor. Her brother's blood. She wanted to help, but they wouldn't let her. She always just had to sit in her room and listen to her dad yell and scream and cuss, turning over tables and smashing bottles on anything or anyone he saw. She couldn't take her mother waking up in the morning and asking what in the world happened to your faces, as if she didn't hear through the paper-thin walls her husband ranting and raving throwing shoes and glass plates and cups against the walls and her sons, punching out windows, and then passing out. As if she didn't hear._

"_Mom," Bella said hesitantly when she walked in the door from shopping._

"_What, Bella?" Renee asked, placing the bags on the table in the living room. It was broken-go figure._

"_Mom, really we have to do something. We can't let this keep happening."_

_Renee froze. Something flashed in her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about." She answered tightly, turning to face her daughter with the oddest expression on her face._

_Bella always thought her mother was beautiful. Her long brown hair was always full and shiny, her lips were the perfect shape, and she had high, defined cheekbones and beautiful chocolate brown eyes. And she was the perfect size for a size 5 bikini. But with this expression, Bella certainly did not think her mother beautiful._

"_How can you say that?" Bella asked, bewildered. "He keeps hitting them, mom. Why do we let him hit them?" She was desperate to get her mother to understand. And she didn't seem to._

"_I said I don't know what you're talking about!" Renee screamed. "Stop talking or you'll b grounded for a very long time." She warned and took her bags to her room._

_Bella followed._

"_How can you just act like your own husband isn't beating your sons up?" Bella asked, angrily. "Why can't you see that-"_

"_STOP LYING!" Renee screamed, swatting her hand out and struck her daughter across the face. Her head turned on impact and hit the door frame hard._

_Bella fell and immediately felt the blood coming out of the side of her head. She felt sick._

"_You're just saying that because you're jealous, you little bitch! You just want me and Charlie to break up so you can get more attention!" She accused, pointing a finger at her daughter and shaking it menacingly. She almost looked like she was going to turn around but instead she swung her foot back and kicked Bella repeatedly._

"_No, mom," She cried "I-"_

"_You're such a little liar! I hate you for doing this to me, to your family, for saying these awful things about your wonderful dad!"_

_She slapped her again, her voice growing dangerously low._

"_Listen hear, bitch, Charlie is the best husband I could ever wish for. He does everything for me. He's a great father too. You better hope you didn't tell anyone else these lies." She warned._

_Bella shook her head and continued to stare at Renee, crying and holding her head._

"_You better forget all about this." She said. Bella nodded and stood up. She began to walk back to the kitchen. The macaroni was probably burnt._

"_And Bella!" Her mother called happily after her. Bella turned around. "Just remember, I hate you for this." She said and slammed the door shut._

And since that day her mother hadn't spoken a word to her. She never acknowledged her existence. Even before Charlie finally left and things just kept going as they had been. Renee hadn't spoken a single word to her. When he did leave and she was okay, it seemed, before she became depressed, she would occasionally talk to the boys, ask them things, but never once even looked at Bella. It was like she looked straight through her and into a wall or something.

And now the first thing she says to Bella is "You're a liar."

It broke her heart.

Bella didn't know how long she sat there and cried in their little hallway, clutching to Alice and Rose for dear life, but she vaguely figured it must have been a while when she heard the door swing open and Emmett and Jasper yelling her name.

"Bella? Oh my God, Bella…" Emmett said. She felt herself being lifted from the ground and into his embrace. She cried harder. Why couldn't her mom just hug her like Emmett did?

"Em-"

Jasper hushed her from his brother's side. They sat down on a couch as a fresh wave of tears rolled in. Although it was Emmett that was cradling her, Jasper's soft words at her side helped tremendously to calm her down as he brushed her hair back out of her face.

She felt Jasper stiffen and could only imagine the frown on Jasper's face when they saw her hands.

"Dab, them gently." A voice came from somewhere in the room. She didn't recognize it, but it almost sounded like Edward's, only a bit deeper. Still it was a gentle voice and that's all she cared about for now. No more yelling.

Bella flinched slightly when she felt a cold, wet rag touch her hands.

Emmett hissed. "Well, you've really outdone yourself now." He said softly, jokingly.

She felt herself maybe smile a bit, she couldn't tell.

"Is something wrong with her head?" She heard the voice come again, a bit closer this time, as if he were trying to see for himself.

"No." Emmett and Jasper said at the same time. "There's nothing wrong with it now." Emmett mumbled and brought her left hand from covering her temple. She hadn't realized that she'd been holding her head like on that day.

Jasper got up and Bella immediately missed his presence.

"Did she say anything?" He asked someone softly.

"Bella?" She heard Rose ask.

"Both of them."

"She called Bella a liar, and then she went into the room and Bella was screaming that she was sorry and she wasn't a liar." Rose said, warily. She sounded like she was still crying.

Someone shushed her quietly and her cries were muffled, presumably by someone's chest.

"Damn it. I knew it." Jasper hissed. His fist rolled into balls and he felt like punching something. He rubbed his face in frustration. Of all the stupid things …He controlled himself though and went back to Bella's side.

It took her another 15 minutes to calm down enough so that she wasn't sobbing into Emmett's shirt.

When she stopped crying, she realized that she had a splitting headache and groaned.

Emmett gave Jasper a meaningful look.

With her throbbing head, Bella turned her head to the side and looked at Jasper who turned his head to mystery man.

He glided from behind the couch and took Jasper's place. He had some sort of bag with him. _Probably loony pills for the whole family_, Bella thought dryly.

"I'm Carlisle Cullen, Alice and Rose's and Edward's dad."

She nodded because he paused, probably to see if she was back in her right mind, she guessed. She didn't feel like she could do her Physics homework, but she could understand that.

"I'm a doctor too. Rose called because she was worried about your hands. Can I see them?"

Bella nodded and gave them to him. She winced. Wow, wasn't expecting them to be that bad.

Her knuckles were raw and swollen and bleeding, and the tops of her finger were also bleeding in random places with cuts on them.

Carlisle started to carefully clean and wrap her shaking hands. She only hissed occasionally, half as much as her brothers did just watching it.

She remained with her head resting on Emmett's big, muscular chest. She quickly glanced and Rose and Alice. She felt bad that she made them cry and could clearly see their makeup had rubbed off onto Carlisle's shirt.

Jasper was now kneeling on hers and Emmett's left, staring off into space. Sometimes Bella couldn't tell what Jasper was feeling. Right now he was definitely angry. And it usually took a lot to make him angry.

_Well this turned out to be a nice day._

Bella sighed heavily. "Sorry, guys." She murmured. She blushed, not knowing what else to do.

"It's quite all right." She heard a beautiful voice say. Edward.

She smiled at him. She was definitely starting to feel better.

**There you go! Tell me what you think! :D**


	4. carlisle's pov

**Sorry it's been so long since an update!**

**Anyways here's another chapter from Carlisle's pov...cause who doesn't love him?**

**Carlisle's POV**

I was surprised and worried, very worried, when Rose called me crying. A million things popped into my head.

_Was she hurt? Where was Alice? Where was Edward? Where is she at? Can I help? Who else is there?_

Rosalie doesn't usually cry, and when she does I'm not the one she wants, it's Esme. So what was this problem that she wanted me for?

I'm not sure what the hospital staff thought happened when I answered my cell and froze immediately, trying to make sense of her words. In any case, it couldn't have been good.

"Rose, _Rose_. Slow down, honey, I can't hear you." I only partially realized that Dr. Wagner was looking at me worriedly.

She was saying something about a girl, Bella. She was hurting herself? I couldn't hear anything because there was too much screaming. Someone was screaming.

"Mom! Please, I'm not a _liar! I swear!" _There was repetitive banging. Alice was trying to say something.

"Rosalie, listen, I can't understand you. Get away from the noise." I ordered, trying not sound as worried as he was.

There was some sort of shifting. The noise continued, but was getting farther away.

"Dad?" I heard.

"Alice. Where are you at, what's wrong?" I asked. I was walking quickly now, towards my office and drawing glances from the nurses and other doctors that I passed. _Would someone tell me something?_

She was crying but surprisingly more in control of herself than Rosalie at the moment.

"Um we met this girl Bella at school. And we were bringing her over for a sleep over and she stopped at her house and her mom was out and I guess…I guess she hasn't been out of her room for like 2 years because she's depressed and she was there and then Bella saw her and they were both just staring and then he mom ran back to her room and now Bella's crying and screaming and banging on the door and her mom won't do anything, dad! She's beating on the door and her fists are bloody! It's so horrible! I don' know what to do!" Alice told him.

"Dad." I heard. It was Rose. She was still crying, but not as much as she had been. She could at least talk. "You have to get into your car right now and pick up her brothers. Emmett works at Big O tires. I think we passed it on our way to the grocery store."

"I know where it is." I said and began jogging now. When I got my keys I whispered to the secretary Marcie that I had a family problem. She nodded and said something back; I think it was a question. I didn't hear it.

The grocery store was not that far away, but I didn't know where this girl's house was. Her brothers would know unless this was more complicated than I thought.

"You have to get them." She said urgently. The screams continued. I was already pulling out of the parking lot.

"Okay, honey I'll get them. I'm on my way. Rose-"

"I have to go." She said quickly and hung up before I could ask any more questions.

Urgh. I cursed and drove faster. What was happening?

* * *

A big teenage boy with a half grin on my face waved me inside as I pulled into Big O Tires. I stopped the car outside of the building and hopped out of the car, with it still running. His name tag read

Hi My Name Is:

EMMETT

That was easier than I expected.

"Emmett!" I yelled, waving him down to come over. "I'm Carlisle Cullen. I believe you met my kids at school. There's a problem with your sister and Rose asked me to come get you and your brother?"

His grin was gone, replaced only by worry that didn't look like it belonged on his face.

He was in the car before I was. "Jasper works at the grocery store that you passed.

* * *

I was driving towards my house, oddly enough. Jasper explained where they lived at. It was quite close, really.

"Rose and Alice said that they were going to have a sleepover and they stopped by your house. She said your mom was somewhere and she and Bella kept staring-"

"Wait! Are you sure she said _mom_?" Emmett asked, looking at me as if I had lost all sanity.

"Yes, I'm sure." I tried to remember her exact words. "They said she hadn't been out of her room for 2 years and when they saw each other they just kept staring. Then your mom went back into a room and now your sister is banging on the door and screaming and crying."

I looked at Emmett carefully. His face held controlled anger. I looked in the rear view mirror at Jasper. He was shaking his head, eyebrows furrowed. They both looked beyond concerned.

"Do you think she knew Bella was home?" The younger one asked quietly. He seemed scared by the notion. I thought he was talking to me before Jasper answered.

"How would she know? In fact, she wasn't expecting anyone home for a while. They could have both been surprised." Jasper looked like he was thinking intensely.

"Maybe not." Emmett muttered.

"So, what was it Emmett? Mom suddenly comes out of her two year comatose- like state just beat up Bella again?" Jasper growled. "Unlikely."

My forehead wrinkled. Abuse? Where was the dad? What kind of house were my kids in?

"So what do _you_ think happened?" Emmett asked, turning his head angrily. "Since you know everything, and all."

"I just told you what I think. They were both surprised. It's the most logical suggestion."

"Okay, so it was a surprise. Why is Bella acting like this?" He asked.

It clicked in my head just then that these two boys looked and were acting so much more mature than any other kid their age I knew. I wondered why and then started thinking on the circumstances. If their mother wasn't leaving the house, she didn't have a job. They were probably used to taking on responsibility. Still, where was the father in this picture?

"I don't know. Maybe Bella tried apologizing or something?"

"So it goes 'SURPRISE! She apologizes for telling mom and now she's beating at her door, screaming? It doesn't make sense." Emmett grumbled.

"Maybe mom said something about Charlie?" Jasper suggested.

Em sighed heavily. "God, I hope not."

I cleared my throat. This sounded a bit more complicated than anticipated.

"Is anyone else home?" I asked, praying the answer was no. I wanted to be sure my girls were okay.

"No. Jasper and Bella and I live alone other than our mother. As Rosalie said she hasn't left her room in two years, almost since our dad left us."

"You mentioned your mom…beating Bella up. Is she abusive?" Carlisle asked. He wanted to be straight forward and know what he was walking into and what his daughters were in the middle of.

"No. She only did that once because Bella confronted her about Charlie abusing us."

"Charlie is your dad?"I asked, looking at Jasper through the mirror.

"Yes." Emmett muttered darkly. Neither seemed happy about that fact.

"Let me see if I can get all of this. Your dad abused you. Bella went to your mom about it and she abused her. Then your dad left and your mom hasn't left her room in two years? Now your mom left her room and your sister is very…upset?"

They nodded.

I sighed in thought. "What I heard Bella screaming was that she was sorry and that she wasn't a liar-"

"Mom called her a liar?" Jasper asked suddenly.

Both of the boys were abruptly tenser than they had been.

"I don't know. Your guess is as good as my own. I've told you all I know." I wished I could help more.

"It'll crush her." Jasper murmured. "It'll just crush her."

* * *

As Emmett and Jasper burst through the door I took in the house. It was deplorable. No children should have to live in a place like it. These poor kids. I had only met two of them and knew that they didn't deserve this.

I watched as Emmett scooped up his sister with ease, Jasper by his side. She was sobbing into his shirt, clinging to him with one bloody hand while the other clutched her head.

Nothing appeared to be severely injured, but I'd have to take a better look. She was panicking though. I just hoped that her brothers could calm her down before it got any worse.

My heart broke.

Rose and Alice ran into me, both of them crying. I had to admit, they had never been exposed to things like this. Our family was rare. Esme and I were still married. We weren't separated or divorced. There wasn't much violence, only the occasional cat fight or an annoyed Edward, definitely not abuse, alcohol, and things of that nature. It had taken them by surprise.

Their eyes told all. They didn't understand. But I couldn't explain it to them because neither did I. I, for the life of me, could not even think of why someone would want to do this to their children. I held mine close and waited until I could do something to help.

I couldn't help but sneak a look down the very short hallway that Bella had been in. Was that where their mother was spending her life? The thought made me sick. She was ignoring the world as if she didn't have a reason to live. Children are enough reason to live, and these three could have certainly used the love that she had not been giving them.

________________

As I was patching up Bella, Edward came in, frowning. Obviously no one had bothered to call him about this. He went over to his sisters to get the inside scoop on things. I glanced up occasionally. He was not happy.

Bella, on the other hand, seemed to be getting better by the minute. She was relaxing slowly, thankfully. Jasper was doing a wonderful job at talking to her softly. Emmett was still holding her protectively, like any good brother would. They were so close.

I tried to imagine my own children in this situation and just couldn't.

I felt myself getting angry and had to push it back down. Being angry would not help anything. These kids had experienced too much of the mad-male-figure in their lives. I had seen victims of child abuse at the hospital I worked at. It was nothing like seeing these three stuck together like glue, relying on each other because they had no one else. It was nothing like seeing these three, hearing their stories about their lives that had been so horrible. They felt like my own children already.

Bella sighed and I looked up from my work. "Sorry, guys. She mumbled and her cheeks turned bright red. She looked like she did that a lot.

"It's quite all right." I heard my flirt of a son say. I could tell already that these two liked each other.

Bella smiled and at that point I would have done anything to make her do it again.

**Please review, everyone! I love them!** **:D**


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